The Old Fashion Way
by VGWrighte
Summary: Deanna is having a problem, but she's too young. She remembers when it happened to her mother. She only needs help from one person now.


The Old Fashion Way

Disclaimer: You know what goes here. . . I don't own the whole shindig.

A/U. Set in _time_ after Insurrection, but let's pretend that Insurrection never happened.

--------

Deanna took another deep breath. She gritted her teeth and waited for the feeling to pass. It was too early, she was too young. She wiped the sweat off her brow.

Ensign Brown abruptly stopped talking. "Are you alright, Counselor?" she asked.

"I'm sorry, Jac. I . . ." How was she going explain this one? "I'm having a few family problems," she was actually having some species problems, but that was related to family. "Maybe we can continue this on Thursday?"

The young woman nodded liberally. "Of course, Counselor. I understand."

'No you don't, Jacqueline. You have _no_ idea,' she thought to herself and smiled at the young ensign again. "I'll see you then."

"Good day, Counselor." Ensign Brown stood up and walked out.

Deanna promptly dropped to the floor and laid down on her back, still waiting for the feeling to pass. This was the third one today; and it was only 1100. This wasn't right. She was too young. Only a few years ago her mother had had the same problem.

She had to do something. She couldn't go on like this. Now it was interfering with her duties.

Deanna shuddered. She was going to have to explain this to Beverly.

--------

Explaining the 'situation' to Beverly was not as uncomfortable as Deanna had first imagined. Beverly was a doctor, and she took things the strictest of confidences.

But even through her irrational mind, Deanna felt Beverly's amusement. Then again, it was a little funny.

"Deanna, you have hormones off the charts. I don't know what this is going to do to your system." She sighed in frustration. "I'm going to give you something to try to bring your hormones down. . ." she trailed off.

"Beverly, do I feel a 'but' coming?"

"But," she took a deep breath. "You might have to solve this the old fashion way."

"I was afraid of that," Deanna groaned.

"Here," Beverly grabbed a hypospray. "I'll give you this. Go back to your quarters, and if nothing's changed in 12 hours, you'll have to solve it the old fashion way. You don't even have to tell me if it was the drugs or . . . another solution."

Deanna stood from the bio-bed after the Doctor administered the remedy. "Thank you, Beverly."

The Doctor merely smiled politely and turned back to her office.

--------

Deanna groaned. It had been nine hours since she had been drugged by Beverly. Nine hours and six minutes, actually.

She had dozed off once. But that quickly ended when her slumber was invaded by _the_ **_dirtiest_** dreams she's ever had.

She hadn't slept since.

She was quite disturbed by the presence of him in her dreams. She hadn't dreamed about him, like that, in a long time. These new feelings and these new emotions worried her. She didn't know if she was falling in love with him again, bringing up buried feelings, or being deceived by her own mind. That was why she was afraid to sleep.

Finally, Deanna gave in.

She downloaded a smutty, trashy romance novel from the twenty-first century.

That was four hours ago.

She had read two, and couldn't remember the plot in either of them. She could only remember the passion. It was very similar to what she was feeling.

--------

Deanna took a deep breath, and almost cried. Two more hours had ticked by and nothing changed. It seemed to be getting worse, and perhaps it was. She had read another novel and a half, rather skipped to the passionate parts, and nothing helped.

It just made it more intense. She couldn't seem to get her mind of him. When she read those books, they became a screenplay in her mind and she and he where the actors. Several times she had too stop herself and think of something else, to purge her mind of him, but he always returned. He always was in her mind, now.

She had thought more and more about what Beverly said "the old fashion way". She really didn't want to do things that way, but she didn't have a choice. Not a real choice, anyway.

She sighed in submission. "Troi to Riker."

"Riker here," the brass voice replied.

Her heart quickened at the sound of his voice, but she tried to control herself. "Are you busy right now?"

"Not really," he replied non-chalantly.

"Could I see you in my quarters?" She cringed, waiting for his response.

"Sure, I'll be there in about ten minutes. Riker out."

Deanna exhaled the large breath that she had been holding in. At least that was over with.

But . . .

She still had to ask him.

How was she going to ask him?

What was he going to say?

WHAT IF HE SAID NO!

How was she going to live with herself, knowing that she had asked him he said no?

No, that was just silly. He was her friend, and he would help her . . . but then again, this wasn't exactly a 'friendly' favor.

He had to say yes. He had to help her. She needed him to help her. She needed him and no other, now.

The feeling was back.

Deanna fell back onto her couch. She closed her eyes, waiting for it to pass. All she saw in her mind was his smile, and what she remembered from that short so long ago. She needed him now, more than ever.

She needed nothing else, just him. Just tonight.

After a few minutes, the feeling passed. Temporarily, of course.

The door chimed and Deanna stood. She smoothed the loose tunic she was wearing. She took a deep breath. "Come in." Will stepped in and the fire was re-ignited anew.

"You wanted to see me?" he asked as his eyes found hers.

She pressed her hands flat together and put them to her lips, thinking. "I need a favor, a really _big_ favor."

A puzzled look came across his face. "Deanna, I'm your friend. You know I'd do any-"

She cut him off and held up both hands to ward him. "Before you say that, you need to know what it is that I need from you."

The puzzled look on his face became ever so slightly frustrated. "Deanna-" he stopped abruptly and his eyes spot wide as she opened the floodgates to her mind.

She stared at him for a moment as he tried to comprehend/control what he just felt from her. She saw him struggle for words.

"How long?" he whispered. The room suddenly felt very thick, almost like standing in water, or being incased in ice. "How long have you been feeling these feelings?"

She shrugged. "Day? Day and a half." Actually, it was one day, thirteen hours, and thirty-four minutes; but who was counting?

She watched him struggle for more words. "What do you . . ." he didn't finish his sentence.

"You know what I want," she spoke in a soft, serious tone. Her eyes locked his.

"Deanna, I don't know if . . . I-I could . . . we should . . ." he struggled to articulate what he felt. Will didn't know what to think, his mind was erratic and unfocused. Deanna felt his mind and she was excited and even more aroused by the chaos.

"Will," she breathed. "I'm asking you . . . to help me," she gently pleaded.

How could he say no to that? She was asking him, more like begging him. Will covered his face with his hands and he thought. At last, he looked up into her eyes. "Deanna, what would it all mean?"

She had more than quadrupled her sex drive in under two days, was asking him to settle that hunger, and he was worried about what it meant! She wanted to scream. She wanted to wrap her legs around him, just as she had done in her dreams.

She calmed the thoughts from her mind before answering. If she scared him off now, he'd never be her friend again. She needed him to be her friend after this.

"It would mean that you are my friend, and will do more for me than other friend could," she smiled sweetly. She was glad to have a friend like him; one that she could ask if she needed; for an instant the feeling vanished and she felt content, but that instant got lost in the thick room.

It was silent for some time. Will thought hard about what he was going to do, or walk away from. Deanna was his friend, a friend in need; in great need. She was different from all his other friends; they had been lovers once. Could he pretend for a night? Could he pretend that he was a young lieutenant stationed on Betazed, just as he had been? Could he pretend she was the most amazing thing that had ever happened to him?

No, he didn't need to pretend about that.

"You are my friend, Deanna, and no matter what happens, I need you to remember that."

"You are my friend, Will. You have been for a long time." Deanna was ready for him to say no. He had to make sure she would forgive him for refusing her.

Will smiled an old smile. A very old smile that she had not seen in many years. He closed the distance between them immensely, in one stride. Ever so gently, his hand cupped her face, and he leaned in to kiss her. "I am your friend," he whispered before gently brushing his lips against hers.

"Not tonight," she replied in a harsh whisper, pressing her lips to his. Deanna put her hands on his chest and pushed him towards her bedroom.

--------

Deanna sighed. It was the middle of the night. Will was asleep next to her.

The feeling was gone. For good; she was certain.

"The old fashion way," as Beverly prescribed. Beverly would know. The way Deanna would look and avoid questions with shifty answers. Beverly would know exactly what she did, and with whom.

Deanna sighed again. What had she just done?

"Stop brooding," Will whispered in the darkness. "I'm trying to sleep."

Deanna inhaled sharply as she was startled by his voice. She suddenly felt very self-conscious. Deanna pulled her blanket up to her chin and scooted away from Will.

He chuckled. "So now we're modest?" He turned to his side and peered through the dimly lit cabin and saw her shadowy form. "I don't think any less of you," he reassured her. "Get some sleep, Deanna. I suppose you haven't had much recently." Will turned on his other side, away from her.

"Will?" she whispered.

He looked over his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"You are my friend, Deanna." He smiled and he knew that he was staring directly into her eyes. "I am here whenever you need me, for whatever you need me."

She exhaled gently through a smile and shifted around a bit to find her comfortable sleeping position.

Will noticed her restless and slid up next to her and slid his arm around her small form. "I am your friend," he whispered "I have been your friend, and will be your friend. I'm here for what you need me. I do love you, Deanna."

Deanna smiled and relaxed in his safe, warm embrace. "I love you, too, Imzadi," she whispered as she finally began to doze off to sleep.


End file.
